Tima's Season 4
by Tima
Summary: SEASON PREMIERE! Elisa returns to work and gets used to the daily grind again, Owen decides his recent inactivity can be remedied by helping Goliath and Elisa, and Demona has plans for the DI7 virus again. Pls R&R!
1. 1Impossibilities are Possible Part 1

_Disclaimer:  
I do not own any of the Gargoyles characters portrayed in this story, except for Adam Maza, Tachia and Eosine. All others are owned by those geniuses over at Disney. As always, please don't sue me. Pretty Please?_

_**AN: **_

**_Another apology is in order to all of my fans who have been constantly emailing me, wondering what the heck is going on with me lately!! Another bout of Writer's Block, I'm afraid, however the wheels are turning again, so things should be back on track!! Enjoy this latest episode and please let me know what you think!_ **

* * *

_**SEASON PREMIERE: 1--Impossibilities are Possible Part 1**_

_May 12, 1998 – 8:49am – 23rd Precinct house…_

"Are you sure about this, partner?" Matt asked Elisa as they walked into the 23rd precinct house. She smiled, breathed in deeply, and then exhaled.  
"I'm sure, Matt. It's time. Somehow, I missed this place."

"And Goliath is cool with you returning to work so soon?"

Elisa nodded. "Yea, Goliath and I discussed the idea briefly while on our honeymoon. Then we had a long talk about it after we got back. My original idea was to come back a few months ago, but I think this worked out better," She smiled at the memory of she and her husband talking about the matter, as any normal human husband and wife would do. They did, in fact, sit at the kitchen table and discuss what was best for them…She continued her thought, "As long as I work regular hours, we'll be ok. The Xanatos' nanny will care for Adam during the day, and Goliath and the clan will take turns watching Adam until I get home at night." As these words escaped her lips, her desk came into view—at least it appeared to be her desk. On top of what used to be Elisa's desk was a mountain of paperwork and things that were most likely not needed. Elisa shot a questioning look at Matt. He shrugged innocently.

"Hey! You were gone a pretty long time, and we couldn't find a place for all that paperwork…" Matt explained. Elisa shook her head, threw him a smile and waved her hand at the disorganised desk.

"Whatever, it's no big deal. We'll just have to dig my desk out of this pile of crap, eh, partner?"

"Yeah, sure." Matt laughed. "But before we do that, why don't you go into Chavez' office and talk to her. She told me she wanted to brief you on what's been happening around the department since you left on Mat leave." Elisa nodded. "Alright. I'll be back then," She added as she turned towards Captain Chavez's office.

_Half an hour later…_

"He's adorable, Elisa," Maria Chavez commented as she flipped through the 4X6s of Adam Maza that Elisa had had taken in a portrait studio. There were shots of the 9½ month old boy in a baseball cap and miniature version of a New York Yankees' uniform. He had already grown accustomed to smiling, and was doing so to the camera while holding a miniature baseball bat in his tiny hands. Elisa nodded and smiled. What should have been a meeting about the department had turned into a proud mother's salute to her first born son.

"Can't argue with that." She beamed proudly at her boss gushing over her son. Maria noticed this and looked up thoughtfully at Elisa.

"Motherhood suits you, Elisa. Never thought I'd hear myself saying that, but it's true. You just glow when you talk about Adam," She commented, returning her glance to the photos in her hands. Elisa shrugged.

"When you have someone so precious in your life, you glow I guess. Life is good."

"And, uh, how is life under Xanatos' roof? Isn't that a bit strange?"

Uh-oh, Elisa thought. I knew this was coming sooner or later.

"Captain, I—"

"Elisa, I'm just saying. You could have picked anywhere else in the whole city to live. Why there? Aren't you guys _enemies_?" Maria raised an eyebrow as the word _enemies _was said. Elisa paused for a minute and then shook her head. She could no longer say they were enemies, despite how she may want to feel. David Xanatos had proven himself slowly, by helping rescue her from Dracon's base in the Azores, by transforming her brother and Maggie back into humans, and by offering his home and all that he had at his command to her. No, she definitely could no longer say they were enemies. Nor could she say, however, that they were friends…

Another valid reason Maria Chavez would hopefully be kept from—at least until gargoyles and humans can live in peace—was the fact that she was married to the leader of the clan of gargoyles residing in the Eyrie Building.

Elisa hesitated, searching for the right words. Maria raised a hand when she noticed this.

"Elisa, it's complicated. I get it. Just be careful. Leopards don't change their spots—or whatever the saying is…at least not in my books." Maria smiled and handed the photos of Adam back to Elisa.

"Now, onto more exciting news. I wanted to bring you up to speed on the happenings at the department while you were gone, but I'm sure you were in constant contact with Bluestone…"

"Not as constant as I would have liked, Captain, but he did mention a few things, such as the _huge _pile of paperwork on my desk that needs to be filed." Elisa laughed, causing Maria to chuckle.

"Well, yes, getting rid of that heap is actually your first duty."

---

_The Eyrie Building, 9:16pm_

When Elisa returned home that evening, she found her son playing with Angela. Adam was sitting on the floor upon a warm and colourful looking comforter playing with his soft toy blocks. Every so often, he would throw a block up in the air in sheer joy, giggle sweetly while Angela laughed and reached over to grab it for him, and he would then crawl slowly towards where Angela held the block in her hand.

"Adam, you are being silly!" Angela exclaimed as he giggled. "I can be silly too!" Angela added, holding the block a few inches farther than Adam had crawled. He reached for the block, and Angela moved it in the opposite direction. Instead of getting upset, which is what most children his age would do when presented with this situation, Adam's 9½ month old brain saw this as a challenge, and he laughed as he attempted to grab the block from Angela. After a few attempts, Angela let him have the block, and he giggled a bit more, as if in triumph over his adversary. Angela bent down to his head and planted a light kiss upon his brow just as Elisa was exiting the elevator. She walked towards them and smiled heartily. As Adam recognised his mother, he raised his hands over his head in an up motion.

"My big boy!" Elisa exclaimed, lifting the child in her arms and hugging him tightly. "Did you miss Mommy? Did you?" She asked the boy, but he was too wrapped in the hug from his mommy. Elisa looked over at Angela. "Thank you for watching him Angela."

She smiled. "It was no problem, Elisa. He woke up about a half hour after we did, and he's been full of energy since. Father and the others are on patrol and tonight was my night to watch him. How was your first day back to work?"

Elisa sighed. "It was a bit stressful. They allowed my desk be taken over by a TON of paperwork, and I spent all day getting that mess of a desk back in order. Plus, I missed not seeing Adam. Call it separation anxiety." She raised Adam's bottom close to her face and sniffed briefly before making a sour face. "And Adam needs a diaper change. We'll be right back, won't we, little stinker?" She played, carrying Adam under one arm towards her room. Only minutes later, Goliath, Brooklyn and the others returned from patrol. Angela motioned to Goliath that his mate was in their bedroom—it was the only _bed_ they had ever made love in, and when Elisa needed him, Goliath was quick to spend the evening in the room, holding her tenderly as she lay upon the bed, so surely it was _their _room.

Goliath found Elisa redressing Adam in his PJs for bedtime. She slowed her pace when she sensed his loving gaze fall upon her. Turning around, her hopes were affirmed and the smile from earlier in the day returned.

"Hi, Big Guy. I missed you."

Goliath smiled and stepped forward to her. "I missed you too, my mate. How was work? Was it difficult returning?" He embraced Elisa and Adam in his powerful arms as he said these words.

"A bit, but I'll get back into the swing of things soon. I have to. Being a cop was once my entire life. I have different priorities now, but I still missed being a cop."

Goliath smiled, tilting his head to the side. "You were always a police officer, even on your maternity leave."

"I guess so. Still, being back was different, but not in a bad way. I'll be alright."

Goliath looked down at his love in his arms, brushed a stray hair from her face and kissed her forehead. "I know you will, Elisa. You are a strong woman. I love you." He stated simply, staring with devotion at the family he held within his embrace.

"I love you, too, Big Guy." Elisa replied sweetly, enjoying every moment of the peace and serenity the location in the building afforded them. Not only was it just far enough from the television in the Grand Hall that they couldn't hear it when it was on, even at its higher levels, but because it felt sort of out of the way from the rest of the castle, the clan would only come calling upon them if it was REALLY important. Elisa suddenly had a great idea. With Adam still in her arms, she said, "Goliath, I'll be right back. Stay here." Unsure of what was happening, he obediently stayed in place. A few moments later, Elisa returned alone, without Adam in her arms. Before Goliath could answer, she wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a passionate kiss. Goliath's eyes widened in surprise, but he quickly became enraptured by his mate.

---

_May 20, 1998, 7:49am, Nightstone Unlimited headquarters, Ms. Destine's Office…_

Dominique was just getting into the office for the day when she saw a report on her desk from the previous night. It seems one of her spies had produced the report awaiting her inspection. She treaded towards her large executive desk and settled comfortably in her luxurious black leather desk chair. Her hands instantly went for the report in excitement; whatever this report contained was good, Demona knew.

As she flipped open the dossier, she read a few words and chuckled quietly.

"It appears my old friend Severius has the DI/7 virus in his possession once again. Hmmm…this could be a perfect opportunity to finish what I started almost two years ago," Demona read the dossier for a few more seconds before closing it and turning on her computer for the day. The Windows 98 screen popped up and a low ring cheerfully announced the computer's functionality. She reached over, picked up the telephone receiver and pressed 0. The voice of her new assistant, Debra, greeted her.

"Debra, advise the one who dropped off this dossier on my desk to continue his work in Flushing, and report back on any new information." She hung the phone up and resumed her work upon the computer.

Demona began opening the files she needed and began her work for the morning with a devilish grin upon her gorgeous human face.

---

_May 21, 1998, 4:08am, Location unknown_

Anton Severius stood before a table in his underground laboratory, pouring differently coloured liquids into test tubes and stirring them around before setting the test tubes down. He blotted a small sheet of glass with some of the liquid and set it under a very powerful and expensive microscope and looked through the viewfinder. He gasped upon looking through the microscope.

"Blast!" He cried out suddenly and then coughed with the force of his exclamation. He wasn't getting any younger. Though the plastic surgery he had endured to conceal his identity had succeeded in making him appear younger, he was nearing 60, and as much as he wanted to deny it, his cough was worsening and his eyesight was beginning to fail. He had purchased generic reading glasses at the pharmacy the other day, but they did little to help his failing eyes. Never mind, he thought, I must continue. This is extremely important.

He had had the DI/7 virus in his possession now for seven months, attempting different ways to make it harmful only to gargoyles, but so far, had only succeeded in making it harmless to males of both species, which was beneficial for him, but not so beneficial to the species he loved the most: women.

"Not so great if I wanted to produce an heir," He said to himself half-jokingly, "Even at my age," Severius wanted to eliminate every gargoyle on the planet by using this virus. He knew it could be done, but the amount of work it entailed was astronomical. He had heard murmurings that after Demona had taken the DI/7 combination from him, she made it volatile by using sorcery, but he was determined to prove that it would only take science to make it harmless to humans. After all, he _was _Anton Severius, and he was the one who had created it! It had still been harmless when he gave it to Demona, of course. She had spouted some nonsense about wanting to make money off of the cure to the common cold. Still, he was beginning to lose his patience with the whole thing, though he was renewed when he heard that one of Demona's spies had been snooping around his apartment in Flushing, New York, for the last few days. Since Demona knows I have the virus, Severius thought, I could use that to my advantage and trick her into destroying her entire race…

After completing that thought, Severius returned to work, but not before writing an entry in his experiment log.

"May 21, 1998: Failed at my attempt to make this virus harmful to gargoyles only. Research indicates only matter of time before this happens. Still harmful to all living creatures."

He closed the notebook and tucked it under his arm. He was going to bring this notebook home with the hopes that Demona's spy will find it and read his latest entry. True, it wasn't accurate, but that was the point. That would make her wait a little longer until he found a way to kill the gargoyles for good using DI/7. Severius nodded to himself and continued his work into the wee hours of the morning, convinced that he had come very close to breaking the virus. A few more nights…

---

_May 25, 1998 – 9:28pm – the Eyrie Building_

Elisa walked tiredly into the Great Hall, where the entire clan was enjoying their evening after patrols were done. She instantly scanned the room until she found her son. He was nestled quietly in his godfather, Brooklyn's arms as they watched a new episode of 7th Heaven on the WB network, at Angela's prompting.

Elisa yawned quietly before reaching the group, who were all focused on the television show. It was Goliath, as usual, who was tuned to his wife's footsteps and noticed immediately that she was there.

"Elisa, we did not hear you come home. How was your day?" He asked as he rose from his seat to embrace her. She hugged him briefly and replied, "Busy. They've got me working the beat again. I chased down a few punk kids trying to shoplift from a 7-11." She looked over at Adam and smiled. "But I am glad to see you, Adam!" The child looked up and instantly giggled at the sight of his mother. He raised his hands in a gesture to get her to pick him up. She smiled at Brooklyn and took her son into her arms.

"Thanks, Brook," She said.

"No problem, Elisa." He replied, gladly letting the child be taken by his mother. As Adam was picked up, he began babbling happily.

"Ba ba ba ba…bmmmmmmmm…"

"Adam, say 'mama'…'mama'…" Elisa coaxed, looking intently at the child in her arms as she over pronounced the word 'mama'. Adam, however, continued his incoherent baby talk.

Goliath rose from his seat and walked with Elisa towards their bedroom.

"He is beginning to look more and more like you everyday, Elisa," Goliath commented happily as he stared at Adam lying in his arms. Elisa smiled.

"You're right. I think he has my smile and my eyes." She peered over at Goliath's face as he held her son. She sensed that Goliath was keeping something from her at that moment. She silently took Adam from Goliath and placed him gently in his crib. Then, she took Goliath's hand and made him sit beside her on their bed.

"What's wrong, Big Guy?"

Goliath seemed to hesitate before speaking. "Though you say that Adam is our son, the truth is that he is biologically yours and that criminal's son, not mine,"

Just then, Owen was walking down the hallway towards the Great Hall, thinking that Puck hasn't had his star pupil around as an excuse to come out and play since Fox's sudden decision to stay upstate for a while. David told Owen that she just needed the fresh air, and wanted to grow closer to young Alexander, and Owen didn't question it—why would he? He stopped walking when he overheard this brief conversation between Elisa and Goliath. He wasn't one to listen in on these types of personal and confidential conversations, but he felt as though Puck might be able to help somehow, so he stopped and listened by the door.

"How I wish that we could somehow have our own child—together."

"I thought this didn't bother you as much as it bothered me." Elisa commented. "I guess I was wrong. I'm sorry, Goliath, that I can't have your children. It's one of those things we knew we couldn't do when we first got together, but that doesn't mean it hurts any less." She leaned her head on Goliath's shoulder. He put his arm around her lovingly.

"I am sorry that I have allowed this issue to bother me so. I could not help it, but I do know that I love Adam as if he were my own son, so I think that I shall be content with that. Just, some nights…"

Elisa frowned. "I know, Goliath. Some nights are worse than others. Trust me, I know. But we just have to understand and learn to deal with it. Adam is my pride and joy, and he can be yours, too."

"He is, My Elisa. Well, besides you, of course…" Goliath smiled for the first time since the beginning of the conversation.

From outside the door, Owen could hear kissing, so he knew that was his cue to walk away. Hmmm, he wondered, perhaps there is a way for Puck to come out and play and help the two of them out…

---

May 27, 2:18pm.

It was Elisa's day off. She had needed one for a few weeks now, and was pleased that it happened to come on a Saturday. She had slept in as long as possible before Adam's hungry cries woke her from her sleep. Once she fed and dressed her little prince, she dressed herself in dark blue jeans and a baby blue tank top and proceeded to the kitchen to make some lunch for her and Adam. She had placed Adam's high chair directly beside her so she could feed him as well as herself easily.

The kitchen was warm with the sunbeams shining in from the outside. She knew the kitchen was an industrial sized kitchen, complete with restaurant sized stoves and massive refrigerators filled with enough food to feed five more gargoyle clans, but this kitchen still felt homey to her when she sat feeding her baby boy.

Even though she and Adam were the only two of the clan who were awake, Elisa could hear someone's footsteps closing in on the two of them in the kitchen. She peered around the corner, hearing the footsteps growing louder.

"Hello?" She called out. The footsteps seemed to stop upon her words. Suspiciously, she rose and grabbed a small butter knife she was using. Sure, it probably couldn't injure an intruder on its own, but with Elisa's combative skills, it would do some damage. She poised herself for whatever lurked around the corner when she heard the distinctive throat-clearing of Owen. Sighing, she tossed the knife back onto the kitchen table. Owen turned the corner.

"Jesus, Owen, ya could have answered me!"

In his usual monotone, Owen replied, "I'm sorry, detective, for startling you." Elisa nodded, still breathing a bit heavily.

"It's a huge castle, Owen…I thought we were the only ones awake around here…"

Owen nodded. "Again, my apologies."

"So what's up? Today's my day off and Adam won't be needing the nanny's services—"

"No, detective, I knew that today was your day off. I actually hoped to speak to you about another matter." Elisa's eyebrow rose slightly. What could he possibly want to speak to her about?

"Shoot."

"I couldn't help to have overheard a bit of your conversation a few nights ago with Goliath about children," Owen stated, in true Owen style, with no embarrassment for having eavesdropped.

"Oh?"

"Yes, detective, and I wanted to offer my services. Actually, I wanted to offer Puck's services to you with this situation,"

Elisa face showed scepticism over the offer. She didn't know Puck specialised in cross-breed fertility. "Uh, how?" She asked reluctantly.

"Well, as you recall, Puck gave you a gift of one wish from him as a baby shower present last year. I wanted to advise you that this would most certainly qualify as something for which this wish could be used—that is, if you choose to use it for this purpose,"

Elisa was a bit stunned. "Wow, I never thought about it," She paused in thought. "But how would it work? I mean, what would the child be? Would it be born or hatched? Would it be half gargoyle, half human? Would he or she be in stone sleep during the day?" Owen raised a hand to all of Elisa's questions.

"Unfortunately, detective, that's something that we couldn't really control until you actually conceived the child. From what I have heard when these things have happened—"

"You mean this cross-breeding thing has happened before?" Owen seemed amused by the question.

"Where do you think the unicorn came from?" Elisa nearly laughed out loud at Owen's try at humour, and the fact that it actually worked, though his seriousness remained locked in his expression.

"Ok, ok, sorry, I haven't dealt with a child of the Third Race for a while, remember? Ok, go on."

"From the stories others have told over the centuries, it appears that the child takes on few of its mother's species' characteristics. In your case, the child would be born, not hatched. Unfortunately, everything else is a guess,"

Elisa was still stunned by this news. She and Goliath could really have their very own child together. Yes, Adam was like his son, but to have a son of his own blood would be a miracle. Wrapped in her thoughts, Elisa snapped out of it when she heard the noise of an empty plastic plate being thrown onto the floor by Adam. He then giggled and threw his hands up in joy. Elisa shook her head and bent down to pick up the plate. She handed the plate back to Adam, still in a daze, and sat down at the table.

She looked up at Owen and said quietly, "I would have to think about it and talk it over with Goliath."

Owen nodded. "Of course, detective. Take your time. After all, this wish is yours, and has no expiry date." He nodded again, and turned to leave.

"Thanks for offering, Owen. I'll let you know." He bowed a short good bye and left Elisa and her son alone.

She had some serious pondering to do over this matter. Would it actually work? Could Puck's magic help she and her mate conceive their own child together? Was it physically possible to carry a half-human/half-gargoyle child to term? And how would she explain another growing belly at work? She knew she would be thinking about the issue all day. While she should have been angry at Owen for eavesdropping on a private and personal conversation between husband and wife, she actually found herself smiling at the idea that it could be possible… i Thanks, Owen, now I'll be worrying and thinking about this all day until Goliath wakes up… /i

---

_May 28, 1998, 11:47pm, Severius' apartment, Flushing, New York_

A dark figure stooped near the entrance of Dr. Severius' apartment, making sure the coast was clear for him to gain entry into the apartment for the fourth consecutive night. Ms. Destine insisted that he continue his reconnaissance until he found potentially useful information. As he picked his way through the lock and stepped in deftly, the hooded man had a feeling he'd find something most valuable this night. Last night, the note book entry he had found read that the virus was close to becoming fatal for gargoyles only, whatever that meant. He never asked questions. Ms. Destine paid him well for his services and his apathy, and he wasn't about to ruin that by asking a lot of questions. Frankly, he didn't care one way or another. As the world slowly dealt with the news reports of gargoyles being real, he did, too. Sure, it was a bit unnerving to hear about seven foot tall creatures with wings who were super powerful, but he wasn't about to join those KKK wannabes, the Quarrymen, in their over-the-top marches, wearing those stupid hoods and carrying those hammers that looked like something out of a science-fiction novel. That would just be crazy. Besides, they hadn't been a real group in over 6 months, and hadn't gathered since their leader vanished all those months ago. The news reported that the man known as Castaway hadn't been seen since his group of followers were responsible for nearly killing a police woman and her infant son in a car crash. Speculation surrounded his whereabouts, but the rumours were that he had moved to some non-extradition country and tried to gather a new set of followers. What a weirdo, the man thought suddenly…

The dark figure, shrouded in the shadows, skulked over the same desk he had found the information two nights before. The same notebook lay upon the desk. He quietly flipped to the pages that he had already read and found a new entry on the bottom of a page.

"May 27, 1998: The virus requires more research. Possibly another two weeks."

The spy closed the notebook and left to report his findings to Ms. Destine.

---

That morning, as Dominique was beginning her day at work, she walked into her office to see her spy sitting in front of her desk, waiting anxiously to speak with her. She couldn't read his expression, so she simply asked, "What news?"

The man pulled off his black toque and turned to look at her. "Ms. Destine, Severius is confident he'll be able to fix the virus. He estimates it at another two weeks before he's cracked it."

Dominique took a seat and steepled her hands upon the desk, pondering what to do with this information. At length, she replied. "Hmm. Nothing else there?"

The spy shook his head. "No, ma'am."

Silence. The processors in Dominique's brain were spinning. The spy grew nervous with the silence.

"Ms. Destine, what next?"

Dominique's face lit up. She knew exactly what to do. "Ask Debra to give you your payment."

"But I thought—"

"Your services will no longer be required for this assignment. I will take it from here." She said, pointing to the door to her office. Taking the cue, the spy got up from his seat and left the office, closing the door behind him. Dominique nodded. I will have to take it from him, she thought. I will have to, before he makes the virus utterly useless to me…

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	2. 2Impossibilities are Possible Part 2

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the gargoyles except for original characters such as Adam Maza, Eosine, and Tachia. All others are owned by Disney. As always, please don't sue me. Pretty Please?_

**2--Impossibilities are Possible Part 2**

**_May 29, 1998, 7:09pm_**

As the sun set that evening, Elisa waited rather impatiently for the clan to awaken from their stone slumber. She had wanted to discuss Owen's offer of help with Goliath the previous night, but Elisa had had to stay later than normal at work, and by the time she arrived home, she was in no mood for a long, drawn-out discussion about the implications and possibilities of what Owen was suggesting, as she was sure she was going to get from this sort of conversation. After all, the child wasn't the only issue; using the wish for something so selfish—at least in Elisa's mind, it was slightly selfish—would have to be discussed at length. What if some other major crisis arises that only Puck's magic would remedy, and the wish is no longer an option? She hadn't stopped thinking about her and Owen's conversation since it happened, and, if anything, she needed someone to discuss it with. Not only was Goliath her mate, but he was also a fantastic listener, and he was also logical as well, which meant that he would shed some light on the subject and help Elisa's decision making all the more sound in reasoning—at least she hoped.

She sat in the Great Hall on the sofa before the television, her ears tuned to the outside, waiting to hear the roars of the clan as they awoke. Every minute or so, Elisa looked over at Adam, who was playing upon his favourite blanket on the floor with his toy blocks. He was dressed in a white and blue horizontally striped golf shirt and navy blue corduroy pants, and he had one grey sock on, while the other was threatening to come off his tiny foot. His constant crawling caused the sock to slip off until only his big toe was covered by it. Elisa noticed this and sat beside him on the floor to adjust the sock, and tickle him just a little. His giggles filled the air and mingled with the clans' loud yawns and the sound of stone cracking and falling to the ground outside. The clan was awake. Elisa smiled and picked up her son in her arms. She walked briskly to the door with him to greet their clan. As she arrived at the door, she saw Broadway, Angela, Lexington and Eosine wave their goodbyes as they took off from the parapets to patrol the city, while Brooklyn and Tachia walked towards Elisa and Adam.

"Good evening, Elisa," Tachia greeted pleasantly.

"Hey, Tach, sleep well?" Elisa replied.

"Oh yes, indeed. So well, in fact, that I am absolutely famished! Brooklyn and I are on dinner duty tonight."

Brooklyn rolled his eyes playfully. "Tach, I really don't think I can help much. You know how useless I am in the kitchen. I just watch you," He stated with an air of mild childishness.

"You watch so that someday, you will actually put into practice all that I taught you, love," Tachia replied lightly. She looked back at Elisa. "Someday…God willing…" She laughed and walked past Elisa into the castle towards the kitchen. Elisa smiled. Those two are perfect for each other, she thought.

"Lass," Hudson called, with Bronx close behind him. "And laddie," He poked Adam gently and playfully in the stomach, causing the child to laugh happily at the attention. He then outstretched his hands to indicate to Hudson that he wanted him to hold him. Somewhat surprised at the gesture, Hudson took Adam in his arms and laughed. "I'm glad ta see you too, Adam!"

Elisa smiled. "Actually, I need to speak to Goliath alone about something, and I guess Adam was reading my thoughts! Would you mind…?" Hudson shook his head slowly.

"Not at all, Elisa. Adam and I will be in the Great Hall if ya need anything,"

As Hudson and Adam went inside, Goliath was walking towards Elisa.

"Hey, babe. Sleep well?" Elisa asked.

"Quite. You needed to talk to me, my love?" He had a hint of worry in his tone, so Elisa threw him a reassuring look.

"Yeah, but it's nothing bad at all. It's actually good news," Goliath's brow ridges rose slightly.

"Oh? Good news is always welcome. What sort of good news?"

Elisa reached for his hand and drew him towards the castle's edge where she could overlook the city. She looked down briefly. It was a clear night, so even from the distance, she could see the tiny cars on the streets below them. She looked back up at Goliath and the smile on her face was contagious.

"What if I told you that it was possible for us to have our very own child together?"

Goliath was confused, and it was apparent by the look he wore. "How?"

"Well, remember that wish Owen—I mean, Puck—gave me as a baby shower present?" Goliath nodded silently. Elisa continued. "Owen proposed that I use it to allow him to help us conceive a child." She looked intently into Goliath's eyes to try to pinpoint his reaction. Though his eyes seemed to show happiness, there was much thought also going on behind them. Elisa continued.

"He approached me a few days ago, and I've been thinking about it ever since."

Goliath finally broke his silence. "Is it safe? What I mean is what are the limitations of his magic? Will you be able to carry an egg? How will the child sleep—" Elisa smirked.

"I asked the same sort of questions. All we know is that it has been done before, and he or she would be born, not hatched. Owen said that everything else regarding the child would be a complete guess until after he or she is conceived," She stroked Goliath's hand in hers and looked up at him again, thoughtfully. "What do you think? Is it responsible to use this wish for our own benefit?" Goliath smiled.

"It would not be ientirely/i selfish to use it in this manner. I just worry that it might be too soon for you to have another child. Adam is not a year old yet…"

Elisa frowned, as Goliath did bring up a good point. "I know, but maybe it will be good to have them so close in age. Derek and I have always been close, and I'm three years older."

"Elisa, I mean for you, physically,"

She understood, but smiled at his words. "Babe, I'm in good shape right now. Despite everything that's happened to me in the last year, I feel fantastic. It wouldn't be straining on me to carry another child now."

Goliath looked out into the night sky before them, deep in thought. He then returned his gaze to his wife and gently squeezed her hand. "We should discuss the possibility with Owen before making our final decision," He stated simply, and then he smiled at Elisa. "However, I think if it is safe, we should seriously consider the idea."

Elisa nodded contentedly and wrapped her arms around Goliath's thick muscular neck. "Thank you, Big Guy. We'll talk to him tomorrow night and consider our options."

**_Upstate New York, Xanadu, 12:41pm._**

"Alexander! Where are you hiding?" Fox Xanatos called out to her son as she searched playfully for him. She knew exactly where he was hiding, and could hear him giggling from his hiding place, but this game was fun simply because of how much she was able to get her son giggling.

"Are you in here?" She questioned as she opened a closet door, looked inside and closed the door. She walked over to the stove and opened the oven door. She knew that her son could see her from his hiding place, so she scratched her head playfully.

"Where could my little baby Alex be? Hmmm…" She then turned and crouched down beside the kitchen table: Alex was sitting under the table, hardly unable to control his giggles. Fox scooped her son up in her arms and hugged him as he laughed.

Just then, her cell phone rang from on top of the kitchen table. While still holding Alexander, she picked up the phone and answered the call. It was David.

"Fox, darling, how are you and Alexander?" David asked lovingly. Fox looked down at her son on her arm and smiled.

"We're doing fine. We were just playing hide and seek after lunch."

"That sounds like fun. I miss the two of you."

"What? Owen isn't company enough for you, David?" Fox joked.

"My dear, you and Alexander are all the company I need. In a building full of employees, I feel alone," He said grandly, in usual Xanatos style, causing Fox to smile even more.

Just then, Alex began to fidget in Fox's arms to be put down. She let him down and watched as he walked towards the family room and the mountain of toys laid out for him.

"So when are you coming to visit, David? We miss you too, you know." Fox could hear Owen buzzing his office in the background. David sighed.

"Unfortunately, my dear, not until the second quarter reviews and numbers are compiled. That might take a few weeks, but I will work my fastest so that I can see the two of you," David paused, and remembered another matter he had to inquire about. "And the baby?"

"I went in to see the doctor a few days ago. Everything's fine. He gave me a delivery date of September 12."

"And…have you found out what the sex is?"

Fox hesitated for drama. "How about I wait until you get here so I can tell you if we're having another boy or a little girl? It'll make you get here faster!"

David loved the way Fox was able to turn any situation her way. It was one of the reasons he knew they were "genetically compatible" in the very beginning of their relationship.

"I surrender, my love. You win. I will try to be there within the week, then. I can't wait to see the two of you."

Fox grinned at her victory. "We can't wait either. Call me later, ok? I'm going to re-read some of those reports you sent to me by courier. Take care, David. I love you."

"I love you too, Fox. Give Alexander a hug from me,"

"Will do." She pressed the END button on the phone and placed it upon the table before her. She then stole a brief glance at her slowly expanding stomach. It wouldn't be long now until she had her little girl in her arms.

**_June 1, 1998, 2:47pm, Nightstone Unlimited_**

Dominique Destine's desk was piled a foot high with paperwork, yet her mind wandered to other things. Some would call them trivial things, but these were the sorts of things she thrived upon: revenge. Ever since she had come to know that Dr. Severius had the DI/7 virus in his possession, her mind had not stopped trying to devise ways to use it against the wretched detective. If she could kill two birds with one proverbial stone, she would also find a way to rid the planet of Elisa's bastard spawn while she was at it, too. But, for now, the idea of destroying Goliath's lust object was fine for the time being. Every other attempt at killing her had failed terribly. Short of shooting at her from point blank range, she was running out of viable options. Without outing herself to Goliath as his new mate's killer, she needed to find a way to do it. The virus was the latest vehicle by which Demona could try her plot again. She was also running out of allies: Xanatos hadn't returned any of Dominique Destine's calls, the Pack were completely MIA, and Thailog had been the one to get killed on Halloween night. Her track record HAD to get better sooner or later...

Dominique slammed the papers in her hand down upon the desk and exhaled. "Damn that miserable human!" She caught herself saying. It must have been loud enough for her latest secretary, Ophelia, to hear, because she instantly received a call from her.

"Ms. Destine, are you alright?"

"Yes. Order my chauffeur to pull around. I'm taking the rest of the day off." Dominique practically shouted back at the well-meaning young woman. She quietly replied positively and hung up.

Dominique could no longer pretend to work that day. She needed to get back to the estate and concentrate on the destruction of Elisa Maza and the brat she called her son. The sooner, the better, for Dominique's sanity and for the sake of Nightstone Unlimited. As long as Elisa lived, the company was getting only half of Dominique's attention, and that certainly was bad for business...

--

**_8:20pm_**

Elisa entered the Great Hall with Adam in her arms just in time to greet the clan as they walked in from their respective parapets. She smiled at her family as they each waved and headed either to the Great Hall or towards the kitchen. Goliath soon followed the rest of the clan. As he approached her, Goliath's expression brightened instantly upon seeing his wife and adoptive son. He increased his pace and swept the two of them in his massive arms. Elisa giggled at his passion so soon in the evening.

"Whoa, Big Guy!" She joked.

"I had such pleasant dreams of you as I slept, Elisa. I could not wait to see you and Adam this evening," He stated contentedly as he smiled at Adam. The toddler cooed, and outstretched his arms to Goliath, asking to be taken by him. He obliged with a grin and took Adam from Elisa's arms gently.

"I didn't know that you guys really had dreams," Elisa began somewhat confusedly. "I mean, I knew your sleep rejuvenates you, but I had no idea that you guys have the same sort of subconscious dream cycle that we do."

Goliath nodded. "Oh yes. Though I cannot account for every gargoyle, I know that most of us dream on a daily basis. And I have dreamt of you, my Elisa, for nearly four years," He smiled again. It seemed to be contagious, this smile of his, because Elisa couldn't help but share his joyful grin. It has to be the thought of having our own child together, Elisa thought. Even she had had a few great days at work since Puck had approached her about using her Wish for the purpose of conceiving a child of their own.

"Have I ever told you that you're a sweet talker, Goliath?" She asked, setting herself up on her tip toes to prepare to plant a kiss upon Goliath's lips. Her face hovered near his as he replied: "I only speak accuracies, my love. I have dreamt of many things that seemed impossible, but it seems as if all of my dreams are within reach. We have been restored to our ancestral home, you and I love each other deeply, and now we may have the possibility of having our own child," He said, his voice full of awe and appreciation of all that he had been fortunate enough to have received in his life thus far. They were about to share in a sweet and passionate kiss when they heard a noise.

"Ahem," A familiar monotonous voice chimed in unabashedly. Owen had just walked out onto the terrace. Goliath, Elisa, and even Adam looked at Owen's nearly uninterested expression.

"I am sorry to interrupt this conversation, but detective Maza had asked me to meet her here to discuss my proposition—" Owen stated stoically, pausing briefly and continuing. "And not to worry detective Maza, I did not overhear your conversation this time," Elisa nearly laughed at his words and his tone; it _almost_ sounded as if he were cracking a joke.

"Wow, Owen, could your fey be showing ever so slightly? I do believe that was your second attempt at humour in a week." She and Goliath both smirked at her comment. Owen cleared his throat again impatiently. "My apologies, detective." With these words, Owen was engulfed in a thick white cloud of magical smoke. As the smoke cleared, Puck was revealed, smiling his usual mirthful smile and floating at least 4 feet off of the ground with his legs crossed.

"Ahhh," he laughed. "This is much better! You're right, though. My fey side has been wanting to come out a lot more lately," He stretched. "Owen is such a bore that sometimes it's hard not to be fun just to spice things up a bit!" Puck wiggled his fingers a few times to make sure he still had the magic touch: excited sparks of magic dazzled off of his fingers into the air. He nodded happily. "It's been a while," Puck stated, shaking his head. "But I'm ready to help you two out. That is, if you've already discussed what I'm hoping you have discussed..."

Goliath and Elisa gazed at each other and smiled. They both nodded at each other and looked at Owen.

Goliath was the first to speak. "We have. But we need to know what, if any, side effects might occur, and how this would work...exactly." Owen nodded.

"Those are departments I can't help you with, Goliath. Like I told Elisa, this hasn't been attempted for some time, and every matching has different effects. The only thing I ican/i tell you two is that the child might look a lot like Goliath. But even that is a gamble. I can assure you, though, that this is 100 safe, both for you, Elisa, and for your child."

Goliath was about to open his mouth when Adam began fussing. He was getting hungry, and Goliath was starting to understand that simply by the tone of his crying. Elisa glanced at the two of them, and was about to take Adam from Goliath's arms, when he protested. "I can take him inside. We shall be back after Adam has his dinner,"

"You sure, Big Guy?" Elisa asked cautiously. He nodded. "Yes, Elisa. Puck," He turned to face Puck. "I have a few more questions for you,"

Puck raised a hand. "There is really nothing more I can tell you, though. I've never attempted to help a human and a gargoyle conceive before, so this is new to me, too." Puck realised that Goliath's face didn't show satisfaction with this answer, so he continued, "But I'll stick around until Adam chows down." Goliath nodded his thanks, and took Adam inside the castle. When Goliath was inside, Elisa turned back to Puck and gave him a questioning look.

"Can you conceal it?"

"Huh? Meaning what, exactly?" Puck asked, perplexed.

"Well, I wanted to know if you could make it so that it doesn't look like I'm pregnant. I mean, I just started to work again, and—"

"Not to worry about that. In these sorts of conceptions, there is an extra bit of magic added within the spell that allows the mother to go about her normal life without appearing like she's carrying an inter-breed child. After all, how would you explain that?" He smirked. Elisa understood, remembering how Owen had mentioned the unicorn. I guess even in the animal world, questions would arise, she thought.

That was a relief to Elisa. There would be no way of explaining to her co-workers—or even Maria Chavez for that matter—how she came to be pregnant this time around. She would be shunned, possibly even arrested. And her child would surely be taken away from her and studied. Worse yet, the clan might be the target of more crazy groups seeking their extermination. As dangerous as it already was, life as they knew it would be even more dangerous in Manhattan if it were revealed that she was pregnant with a half-gargoyle child. They would have to escape and take the child with them, and she would never see her family, the entire clan including Goliath and her children, again. These scenarios were terrifying to Elisa. She shook her head briefly and returned her glance to Puck.

"Alright," Elisa said, straightening her back as if ready to receive some magical and prestigious award. "I'll do it. When Goliath gets back with Adam, do whatever you need to do to use the wish." Puck rose an eyebrow. "You sure? This is irreversible, ya know."

"I know," Elisa replied immediately.

"Alrighty, then. Once junior finishes his meal, we'll begin."

Goliath returned alone. He had left Adam with Eosine and Tachia to watch while this important issue was given its due respect and attention. He walked directly toward Elisa and searched her face for a clue of what she was feeling, thinking. From her expression, she was feeling nervous but excited. His own expression softened and he gave her a reassuring look.

"Everybody ready?" Puck said, interrupting yet another touching moment.

"You're decided, then?" Goliath asked Elisa, taking her hand in his. She nodded determinedly. "I am. I want to do this for us, but mainly for you, babe." Goliath beamed proudly at the thought of someone so much smaller in stature than he being so much braver than he was in so many ways. Though Elisa had no idea how the wish would react with her body, whether she would be able to carry a half human, half gargoyle child to term, or whether this child would resemble her or her race at all, she chose to put herself on the line for him. With no regard for herself and her own personal well-being, she volunteered herself. He admired her so fiercely for that.

"Are you sure that this is what you want, my love?" Goliath wanted to make sure she wasn't just going to use the wish for his benefit.

"Yes, Goliath. I'm sure. I can't wait." She grinned sweetly at him, and then turned to face Puck.

"Ready."

Puck raised his hands above his head. "State your intention to use the wish for the purpose of conception with an otherwise incompatible being. Be as specific as possible. These wishes need concrete goals."

Unsure, Elisa began. "I want to...use this wish to...be able to have a child with my mate, Goliath." Puck nodded. "Perfect. Succinct. To the point. I like it." His raised hands suddenly seemed to sprinkle magic sparkly dust upon Elisa's head. These magic sparkles trickled down Elisa's body. Their movement initially gave Elisa a chill, but soon warmed and comforted her somehow. She felt peaceful and content for a few moments. Puck then began chanting something very quietly. Elisa thought it might have been Latin, but concluded that it didn't sound entirely familiar—not that Latin was a familiar run-of-the-mill language these days. What Puck chanted was actually an ancient tongue even older than Latin, used only by magical Fey. After his chants were done, Puck looked at Goliath and warned him, "Ya might wanna hold her. This will tickle a bit," Confused, Goliath place two gentle but firm hands on Elisa's shoulders, preparing for whatever Puck had meant. As Puck lowered his hands, a sudden burst of energy shot from them and blasted at Elisa, almost knocking her off her feet were it not for Goliath's strong arms keeping her up. Elisa inhaled and exhaled deeply. Puck did the same and brushed his hands one against the other to signify that the task was done.

"All done," He confirmed. "Now you guys enjoy yourselves," A playful grin appeared upon his face. Goliath was confused once again.

"I thought you just..."

"No, _Mr. Maza_" He teased, "All I did was make the two of you compatible until you actually conceive and deliver the child. How the child is conceived is the good ol' fashioned way for both species!"

Well, Elisa thought, this makes things A LOT more fun...

"I will let you know when the wish has worked. After all, it may take a few attempts before conception happens..." Puck jested. As these final words were uttered, he snapped his fingers and instantaneously turned back into Owen. Owen then straightened out his lacklustre grey suit jacket and tie, cleared his throat and said, "If there is anything further I can do for you, Detective, Goliath..."

"No. Thank you for everything, Pu—Owen." Elisa said gratefully. He bowed slightly to Elisa and Goliath and left the terrace.

Goliath gazed at his wife with such devotion in his eyes that Elisa felt it and reached out for him. They embraced for what seemed like hours, enjoying each other's company and the summer evening, neither of them wanting to let go of the other. At length, Elisa broke the enjoyable silence with something even more welcome.

"So, Goliath, I guess we have to do things the regular way when it comes to this child. You want to start now?" She mused. His brow ridge rose.

"I thought you would never suggest it, my love," He said, sweeping a hand towards the entrance to the castle. "After you, Elisa." She smiled and entered the castle, followed closely by Goliath.


	3. Conversations and Affirmations

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story, except for Adam Maza, Eosine, and Tachia. All others are owned by those geniuses at Disney. No copyright infringement is intended. Don't sue me, pretty please?_

**A/n: I'm sincerely sorry for the extreme delay of this chapter. As you may or may not know, I was accepted to Medaille College (for a Masters degree of Science in Education) in January. Well, I am now a teacher officially (at the expense of everything else in my life...) So, I wanted to get back into the swing of things. I hope you will all forgive me and continue to read my stories, now that I have time once again to dedicate to perfecting my vision of where I want this storyline to take our favourite detective and her gargoyle husband. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Discussions to be Had, Affirmations to Expect**

_June 20, 1998, 2:54pm, Diane and Peter Maza's home_

The summer sun shone brightly above the Ford Fairlane as it pulled into the familiar driveway. Adam was busy playing with his brown teddy bear and mumbling quietly to himself. Elisa glanced up at him in the rear view mirror and smiled. _Soon, you'll have a little brother or sister_. _Let's just see how grandma will take it..._

Elisa turned off the car and exited. She walked over to the back of the car, opened the door and helped Adam out. Once he recognized the familiar flowers and shrubs of his grandparent's house, he impatiently squirmed and fidgeted until Elisa could set him free from his car seat.

"Hold on, Adam! Jeez! Wait one sec!" She said, slightly annoyed by her son's sudden burst of energy. She watched him carefully as he almost ran to the front door. Since he had begun walking, she felt even more motherly and wanted to protect him from everything he might bang into, step on, or fall upon. Thankfully, he reached the front door unscathed. However, he couldn't reach the doorbell, so he pointed to it. As he still hadn't begun talking, he simply pointed and grunted childishly.

Elisa reached the door and picked him up as she pressed the doorbell. Within a few seconds, her mother was already ushering them into the house happily. She took Adam from his mother and swept him up into a warm hug. He returned the hug and then pointed to the ground, meaning that he wanted to walk around. She relented, and let him wander free. He instantly went towards the door to the backyard.

"He needs a big backyard, Elisa. All children do," Diane Maza commented, walking behind the toddler and opening the back door. He happily ran outside and began chasing after an almost unseen fly.

"I know Mom, but what can we do? We have a very high drop to consider. I don't even want to _think_ about that..."

Diane sighed. "I know. Perhaps you should bring him over more often, then. You know he loves it here,"

"I love it here, too, Mom," she took a look around the kitchen where they stood watching Adam playing in the backyard through the window. She paused for a moment before deciding to ask her mother about the communication issue he seemed to be having. She was sure that he should have begun speaking by his current age. Diane Maza would have a good idea about whether this delay was normal, after having raised three perfectly healthy children.

"I actually wanted to get your opinion about him, though," She began. "He isn't really expressing himself yet. I keep saying_ mamma_ and _dada_ to him, and he starts saying it, but stops before the word is done. Did we ever do that?"

Diane nodded and smiled. "Derek gave us problems when it came to language skills. We almost wanted to go to a speech pathologist. But by the 14 month point, he wouldn't shut up. Don't worry, dear. Children develop at their own pace. Give him some time. He'll finish his thoughts when he's good and ready."

They stood in silence a few seconds more, watching Adam trying to catch the fly that was eluding his grasp.

The real reason that Elisa came to her parent's house was to get their approval on the magical miracle that came to be only a few weeks earlier with Puck's help. Well, Elisa had to admit to herself that it wasn't truly approval that she sought from her parents; it was her parents' blessing that she hoped for. She and Goliath were trying to become pregnant whether her parents were on board or not.

Elisa nodded in affirmation to herself, smiling. _Do it, Maza_, she thought. "I hope all my children love it here..."

Diane giggled. "_All_? What do you mean...?" She seemed almost shocked at the turn of the conversation.

Elisa smirked. _Here goes nothing..._

"Mom, you know things at the castle are less than normal...well, normal for a regular person not married to a gargoyle, that is. And we've struggled with the idea that we can't have our own children..."

Diane narrowed her eyes and tilted her head, seemingly trying to understand the implications—or where the conversation was going.

"Yes, dear, I know your family and living situation is anything but run of the mill. But you are happy, and that's what your father and I care about."

At this, Elisa sighed. She had approved without knowing what she was approving to, she thought. Well, not in so many words...

"Oh, we are, Mom, incredibly. But that's why I came over today. We were just offered something unbelievable, and I wanted to get your opinion on it." Diane nodded, urging Elisa to continue wordlessly. The curiosity on her face was unmistakeable. Elisa took notice of this, and continued.

"Well...Goliath and I will be able to have our own child. As in, the both of us...together..." She smiled at the thought. Diane's eyes instantly showed her, what was it, disproval?

"Elisa," Diane began slowly, saying each syllable of her name with care. "How is this possible?"

"Mom, it's magic. Let's just keep it at that." Elisa stated simply. Diane looked almost appeased, but continued. After all, she had seen enough magic over the last few years to make her believe in practically anything. Besides, Elisa was married to a _gargoyle_--a creature of myth. Something like that was already strange enough. Magic wasn't that much more of a stretch...

"Adam isn't even a year old yet. Whatever this magic is that is allowing you to have a child with Goliath, can't you postpone it for a few more months, at least?"

"Mom, it was hard enough to tell Goliath that this wasn't a selfish decision to use this magic to have a child of our own. If we were to postpone it a few months, who's to say that he won't change his mind? Sometimes he's too noble for his own good..." Elisa commented with a smile at the thought of the stone protector she was fortunate enough to call her husband.

Diane's expression displayed her intention to protest again. "But what about the physical repercussions of this whole thing—not only for you, but for the child—will you carry the child? Will he or she have wings? Will his or her skin be purple?"

"Mom, you're the last one who should be asking questions about skin color," Elisa snapped in an annoyed tone. "I'm sure Grandma thought the same thing when you and Dad were planning for us. And I'm sure you didn't appreciate it very much." Diane instantly looked repentant. She sighed, understanding Elisa's annoyance all too well.

"You're right, Elisa. I'm...sorry. But you must admit that this situation is much different from ours. Your father and I are the same species at least,"

"I'm sure there were some who disagreed with you on that one, Mom, especially back then," Elisa's tone was still frustrated and annoyed with the prejudice her mother was displaying. Again, her mother looked sorry for what she had said.

"Those were difficult times for our family. When your father and I decided to get married, we would get all sorts of horrible looks thrown in our direction, from my family and from strangers." Elisa wondered how things might have been if her father hadn't decided to run away from the Native ways, and from his father. Would they have accepted the union between an African American and a Native American? Elisa liked to think that they would have accepted them, and her, Derek, and Beth. At that moment, Diane Maza's face became softer with understanding.

"I guess that's how things are with you two, only elevated to the thousandth degree," She smiled almost sadly, perhaps recalling the hardships she and Peter Maza had suffered at the hands of racists and bigots in the early 70's. Elisa just nodded.

"Ok, Elisa. I understand your position in this, sweetie," Diane placed a hand on her eldest daughter's hand and patted it a few times in a maternal way. "I know that having children is not something you put off or should look at negatively. If you're going to use this imagic/i to have another child, I will be here to support you in any way I can. After all, how often can someone say that they have a half-human, half-gargoyle grandchild!" She giggled. Elisa knew she was kidding about telling people about her newest grandchild, but it still made her nervous. What if it slipped one day at a dinner party? iNo, /i Elisa thought. iI've lived in the castle for eight months now, and I have never been approached about my less-than-normal living arrangements or my husband, so I assume that it's not a subject of conversation. /i

"Thanks, Mom," She said finally. "Now, what about you guys? How are things at the Maza camp?"

Diane smiled and rose from her seat. "That will involve another cup of coffee. Your father is in a speed phase—he wants to get a motorcycle!" Elisa shook her head. Sure, he had a motorcycle when he was a teenager, but he grew out of it, sold it, and was married. iOh boy,/i she thought, ithis is going to be an interesting conversation.../i

Almost two hours later, Elisa left her parent's house with Adam in tow with a satisfied grin on her face. This afternoon had gone better than she had expected. Well, in all honesty, she didn't know how it iwould/i go, but it made her happy that her mother had approved in the end.

As Elisa returned to the Eyrie Building, her good mood continued. It was nowhere near sundown, so it wasn't due to soon seeing Goliath or the clan. It was a renewed sense of purpose she felt after having spoken to her mother. Diane had gone through so much for love—love for her husband, Peter, and love for her children. Elisa related to her mother now more than ever. It gave her another ally in her battle against bigotry and ignorance, and she was glad for it.

Her good mood seemed to have rubbed off on Adam, who had been sleeping in the car, and was still sleeping when Elisa took him out of the car and placed him in the stroller to give her an easier time getting into the elevator with him. She glanced down at her peaceful son, and it appeared like he was having a pleasant dream because he wore an angelic smile. She pushed the appropriate floor number on the elevator and the doors closed quickly. As the elevator rose higher and higher, she watched Adam to make sure the height wasn't affecting him; it didn't, thank goodness.

_Ding._ The doors opened, and Elisa pushed the stroller out. It seemed only a few seconds after that Adam stirred and Elisa heard the word that she longed to hear from her son.

"Maaama," Adam said, almost asking Elisa where she was. Elisa stopped dead in her tracks, and looked around to see whether anyone else happened to be around at that exact moment. She might have been going crazy. She looked down at Adam. He was indeed awake. But had he ireally/i finally spoken? As if to answer her internal question, Adam turned around to see his mother looking down at him, and he said it again. "Maaaamaaaa," he said, slightly louder than before. Elisa shook her head, and walked to the front of the stroller. She kneeled down, undid Adam's restraints, and picked him up swiftly.

"Oh Adam!! You have just made my day!" She sung out happily, swinging him in her arms. "Mama's here, baby!" She laughed, hugging her son excitedly. She beamed proudly at her son in her arms.

"What a relief, sweetie!" She exclaimed at her son, though the child obviously had no idea what she was talking about. Elisa began planting sweet kisses on her son's coffee coloured face, making Adam giggle happily. Elisa didn't realise there was anyone else in the room until there was a throat being cleared from behind her. She straightened up and turned around to see Owen, standing stoically with his hands at his sides.

"I am sorry for interrupting, detective, but I have some news that might be of interest to you."

Elisa's mouth drew into a slight frown of confusion before relaxing. She smiled politely. "That's OK. We were just celebrating Adam saying his first word," She glanced down at Adam at poked him playfully, making him squirm a little and smile. He then pointed to the ground, asking Elisa to let him down. Once she did, she returned her attention to Owen. "Is there something wrong, Owen?" She asked. Owen shook his head instantly. "Not at all, detective. Actually, this news is most welcome for you and your mate," He paused, almost for dramatic effect, sucked in a breath, and then let it out again.

"The suspense is killing me, Owen!" Elisa declared. "What is it?" At that, Owen shook his head and within a moment, he had transformed into Puck, hovering three feet off the ground with his legs crossed. He wore a mirthful smirk on his fey face.

"My dear detective," He began in a sing-song voice. "I am pleased to report that you are _with child_" He placed excited emphasis on 'with child'.

Elisa's face lit up in elation. "Really? Wow! Puck, you're sure, right?" She asked cautiously. He nodded and pointed to his temple.

"Trust me on this one, detective. The spell we cast gave me radar on this sort of thing. And anyway, you guys must have been busy, because I was expecting it to take at least a few weeks..." His eyebrows rose and fell a few times in an inside-joke sort of way, which would have made Elisa feel like blushing under any other circumstances. However, this sort of talk was necessary—sort of.

"I guess you could say we _were_ busy," She smiled. "Thank you for letting me know, Puck." Elisa paused. There were so many questions flying within the depths of her mind, but which ones would be the most relevant for this moment? Puck realized her pause was to gather her thoughts, and he decided to help them out a bit.

"According to my 'sixth sense' so to speak, the pregnancy will only be 4 months. It is an accelerated pregnancy, so everything is enhanced and sped up. Thank the spell for that. Also, you won't show at all. You may experience slight morning sickness, however," Anticipating more questions, he rose his hand. "I have no idea what the child will look like, but you will be able to carry him or her to term. Unfortunately, from the precedents set I am fairly confident you'll have to deliver by c-section." Elisa nodded. It was a lot to take in, but she would endure all of it for the good of her family.

"As I receive more information, I will let you know. All I can say is that you still must treat this pregnancy as any normal human one. You are not fully protected by the spell. Things can happen, and you must take care of yourself," Instantly, a long white lab coat and a stethoscope appeared on Puck. A clipboard and a pen appeared before him. He took both items and began checking his paper on the clipboard. "So, Dr. Puck recommends no heavy lifting, no strenuous exercise, and healthy eating."

Elisa couldn't help but grin widely at this picture. She had certainly never pictured Puck as capable of giving her medical advice, but it seemed appropriate. After all, technically, he had taken on the role of their personal fertility specialist.

She nodded. "For sure. Thanks again." Puck transformed back into his mundane human form and cleared his throat.

"It was my pleasure, detective. Please advise your mate of the good news. I will let you know should any further developments arise." With that, he bowed his head and left Elisa alone with her thoughts.

A few hours later, Elisa walked with Adam out onto the terrace, waiting for the sun to set behind the clouds and to awaken her family. Sunset was ten minutes away, so Elisa was comfortable with bringing Adam outside before the gargoyles reanimated and sprayed them with shards of stone skin. The closer Elisa and Adam got to the stone statues, the more Adam clapped with joy. Elisa noted that he had begun to link the statues in the courtyard with the breathing, living gargoyles who come to life after dark. So when Adam walked up to the stone figure of his adoptive father, Goliath, he patted it happily and looked back at his mother.

"Who is that, Adam? Do you know who that is, huh?" She asked him, crouching down to meet his gaze. She placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled at her son.

Adam looked back at the statue and appeared to think briefly. "Daaaaa..." he began, much to Elisa's shock. Her jaw dropped as she stared blankly at her son.

"Adam, say that again for mommy..." Elisa prompted.

"Daaa...daaaa..." Adam continued, patting Goliath's stone leg. Elisa swept her son in her arms and swung him around happily.

"I'm SO proud of you, my little man!! Your dad is going to be SO excited!!" She hugged Adam tightly again. "And now we know for sure that you're going to have a little brother or sister in only four months! Isn't that fantastic?" She asked him, laying a big kiss upon his forehead. _It really will be_, she thought to herself. _I can't wait to tell Goliath!_

As the sun set and the gargoyles awoke, Elisa's smile spread wider than it had been. Her excitement was displayed clearly upon her beautiful face. Goliath was sure to notice it the second he saw her. Not only was she excited because Adam was finally speaking, but she had just received confirmation that she was expecting Goliath's child. What a great way to greet her husband from stone sleep!

Elisa saw the stone shards sprayed across the courtyard from the doorway into the Great Hall; it was a safe enough distance for she and Adam to stand to witness the nightly ritual without being injured. As each gargoyle set off for their respective duties, she walked with Adam toward the remaining gargoyles. Instantly, Goliath turned to face his wife and their eyes met. Gazing deeply into her brown eyes, he knew that there was good news to be heard this night. His pace quickened and he met her before she could reach the castle ledge where they slept.

"Good evening, my love. You are positively glowing. What good tidings do you bring?" He asked her, taking her up into a gentle but passionate embrace. As he released her, they smiled at each other.

"Do you want the good news, or the good news?" She asked playfully. Just then, Angela walked by and heard Elisa's question.

"Oh, what good news is it, Elisa?"

"Ha ha. Well," She paused, deciding internally which piece of good news she would bestow upon her husband and her step-daughter first. "Adam said his first words today," She looked down at her son, who had just let go of her hand to be picked up by Angela. The two gargoyles' smiles broadened at the news.

"Elisa, that is wonderful news! We were so worried," Goliath commented, tousling Adam's hair lovingly.

"Yes, that is fantastic! What did he say?" Angela asked.

"Mama and dada," Elisa replied, turning her attention to Goliath to watch the reaction she knew he would have. He did not disappoint her—his face immediately showed a pride that Elisa hoped would only increase once her _second_ piece of good news was revealed.

It appeared Goliath was at a loss for words; he was still struggling with how to react. He just stared at Adam with a big grin on his noble face.

"Big Guy, my news gets even better than that. Puck just told me that...I'm pregnant." She sucked in a breath and released it, awaiting his next reaction. Instead of words, Goliath took Elisa up into another emotional hug.

"Thank you, my angel," he whispered into Elisa's hair quietly. "You have made me the happiest being on the face of the earth. I did not think it was possible, but I continue to love you more every moment we share. Thank you." He breathed once again. Elisa became slightly emotional at Goliath's touching words and she felt a few tears escape her eyes.

"You are more than welcome, Big Guy," She replied almost as quietly. "I love you, too."

_**June 28, 1998, 9:36 am, Central Park**_

Elisa decided to take advantage of the wonderful summer morning, full of sunshine and high temperatures, and took Adam for a day in the park. In his stroller, Adam sat comfortably and contentedly wearing a pair of dark blue jeans and a blue and grey striped golf shirt. To complete the look, he wore a New York Yankees cap upon his head. He gazed out the stroller, curiously admiring everything he saw. Elisa hadn't been to Central Park with Adam before, so she used her day to take him to see one of the nicest things about Manhattan.

Elisa and Adam made their way to the end of the park when Adam began to grow thirsty.

"Mamaaaa...baba..." Adam called, using his new word for 'bottle', which indicated to Elisa he wanted something to drink. Elisa stopped pushing the stroller to take care of Adam's needs. She was in tune with what he wanted, so instantly, she dug deep into the diaper bag that was hanging off of the side of the handle of the stroller in search of Adam's bottle of juice. Her fingers could not locate the bottle. _Damn_, she thought, _I know exactly where it is. It's on the counter in the kitchen. Damn!_ Elisa internally lectured herself.

"Don't worry, baby. We'll get you some juice, ok?" She cooed. She then pushed the stroller to the street facing Central Park, in search of a Starbucks or variety store. She'd come across a Starbucks sooner or later; the variety store she wasn't sure about. After all, they were popping up everywhere lately…

A few minutes of walking proved her theory correct—she found a Starbucks. Elisa crossed the street, pushing Adam's stroller in front of her, to get to the Starbucks. She and Adam entered the café and stood in line to get a bottle of orange juice. As Elisa paid for the juice, the door to the coffee shop opened and a chime went off announcing the new arrival to the store—it was Dominique Destine.

"Detective," She said from behind Elisa. Elisa turned around quickly to see where that familiar voice came from. She huffed.

"Perfect. A great way to begin my day…" Elisa said sarcastically. Dominique appeared hurt. Or at least she played the part exceptionally well. Had Elisa been anyone else, she might have felt a stitch of remorse for her rudeness, but there was no chance of that towards Dominique; she had betrayed her and the clan once too many times for Elisa to even entertain the idea of politeness towards Dominique.

"Detective, I'm sorry you feel that way about me being here. However, I need to get a few coffees for the office."

Elisa scoffed. "Sure, Demo—Dominique. I'm sure you're being generous to your over worked and underpaid staff."

"Despite what you may think, I have grown fond of coffee, and somehow have become addicted to it." Dominique smiled, attempting to crack a joke, but it was lost on Elisa, who still questioned her motives behind her recent help to the clan and growth of a heart towards her brother. She realised this, and decided to ignore it, crouching down in front of the stroller to come face to face with Adam Maza. The child had stopped fussing over his thirst when presented with Dominique's visage. He tilted his head to one side, studying this new face before him. Dominique cleared her throat, and prepared to hurl a compliment Elisa's way about him, though she wished it were a ton of dull and rusty knives she was hurling.

"I haven't seen him since…well, since his rescue on television. He's grown so much," Dominique searched to find more chit chat to engage Elisa, but failed. Usually, at this juncture in conversation, people would say how sweet the child appeared, but since he looked like Elisa's son through and through, to Dominique, he looked atrocious to her. Elisa scoffed again.

"Stop talking and start walking. I don't want you anywhere near my children," Elisa stated bluntly.

Dominique rose and met Elisa's glare. "Children?" She asked with an eyebrow raised.

Elisa sighed. It probably wasn't a smart idea to let her know that Elisa was carrying Goliath's child, but it had just slipped. She had been so excited to tell everyone that she had her defences down and allowed it to slip to a few different people.

"Yes, Dem—Damnit, Dominique. You heard correctly." Elisa tried to keep her anger to a minimum so as not to cause a scene. Though Elisa wished to strangle Dominique where she stood, they were in public, and that sort of display could cause some uncomfortable questions to arise. Dominique smiled, though it was incredibly amazing that she could do so, knowing that her enemy was carrying her ex-mate's spawn.

"Well, that is exciting news. Congratulations, Detective. When is the new addition expected to arrive?"

"That most certainly is none of your business," She placed her hand upon her stomach, as she did when she was pregnant with Adam. "Now, if you'll excuse us, we have a day in the park to attend to." Elisa said, almost storming out of the Starbucks. As she left the shop, Dominique watched her in amazement. How could that possibly be?? No matter, Dominique thought. This is perfect. Now I know EXACTLY how to destroy Maza, and that spawn at the same time…As she paid for her order and walked out holding her tray of Starbucks java, the smile on her face made her cheeks hurt.

_**July 8, 1998, 2:48am: Location Unknown**_

Severius rubbed his eyes again. He looked down into the telescope and gasped. He had succeeded. It was dangerous to gargoyles only. The exhilaration that came with knowing the end of that horrid species was at hand was almost too much for him to bear.

He put down his glasses and looked at his findings again and again. From what his failing eyes were telling him, gargoyles' days were numbered when he decided to use the virus on them. He was beginning to pack his things up for the evening when he heard a loud whooshing noise, like the wings of a …gargoyle!

Suddenly, there was a thunderous crashing noise and Severius saw Demona dusting herself off after crashing into his window. He began to shake slightly at the sight of her. He knew she was reading his findings, but she had probably been staking out his secret laboratory for months and probably waited for the best opportunity to strike on him. He had underestimated her.

"Hello, Severius. How have you been?" Demona smiled sinisterly at him, stepping toward him slowly. He backed away slowly, trying to put up his best cocky front, but failing with every step he took backward. Demona could smell the fear coursing through his veins. She smiled at the thought.

When Severius didn't answer her, she continued. "I know what you've been cooking up, and I have a proposition for you."

Severius stopped stepping backwards and cocked his head in confusion. "I'm not sure I understand you..."

"Don't play the stupid human with me, Severius. As easy a role as it is for you, spare me. You know exactly what I mean,"

Severius gulped. "I'm listening, dear Demona," he said, attempting to keep his composure.

"I want you to make the DI/7 virus harmful only to pregnant humans. I know you can do it because I've been studying your dossiers and the data that you've been so gracious to leave lying around in your apartment."

Severius was at a loss for words. He began to step backwards again. He reached the wall, and had no where left to which to back away.

"And if I don't agree to do it?"

Demona laughed. "Then I'll kill you and do it myself using a spell. I would have to find the spell first, of course. At least if you do it, I will have less work and you can still be useful to me afterwards as well. It's really your choice." Her arrogance gleamed through her words.

Severius sighed heavily. So this was the end of mankind, precipitated by Anton Severius. As much as he enjoyed his fellow man, quite frankly, he enjoyed breathing even more. He nodded at Demona.

"I'll start right away."


End file.
